God created humanity for life with Him — to know Him, love Him, live in His presence, and share in His goodness.
Sin Brought Death
But through Adam's disobedience, sin entered the human story, and death came through sin:
"Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin." — Romans 5:12
"All have sinned." — Romans 3:23
Sin is not only weakness or imperfection. It is a turning away from God, His authority, His goodness, and His life. Because God is holy, sin cannot be treated as harmless:
"God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." — 1 John 1:5
Sin brings guilt, separation from God, and death:
"The wages of sin is death." — Romans 6:23
What the Sacrifices Pointed To
Under the Mosaic Law, the sacrifices taught Israel that sin is serious because sin brings death. Since blood represents life in Scripture, blood was given in connection with atonement:
"The life of the flesh is in the blood… it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." — Leviticus 17:11
The message of the sacrifices was clear: sin costs life. A life was given before God so that forgiveness could be received.
But the animal sacrifices were not the final answer. They taught the need for atonement and pointed forward to Christ:
"The Law… has only a shadow of the good things to come." — Hebrews 10:1
"It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." — Hebrews 10:4
The sacrifices were shadows. Christ is the reality.
"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" — John 1:29
Jesus did not offer the life of an animal. He gave His own life for us once for all:
"We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time." — Hebrews 10:10
He Bore Our Sins
The cross begins with the love of God:
"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." — Romans 5:8
Jesus did not die for people who had made themselves worthy. He died for sinners, and He carried our sins Himself:
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross." — 1 Peter 2:24
"Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust… so that He might bring us to God." — 1 Peter 3:18
At the cross, God did not ignore sin, and He did not abandon sinners. Sin was judged. Mercy was given. Jesus died so that sinners could be forgiven, brought near to God, and received as His children.
In Section 2, you can explore more deeply why sin brings death, what the sacrifices pointed to, how Jesus bore our sins, and how His death opened the way back to God.
Continue reading: Section 2 — Why Did Jesus Die and Rise for Us? →